Display support device

ABSTRACT

A display support device releasably attaches to a display item to be supported and which, using magnets, removably attaches the image to a support structure allowing a display being supported to be placed, moved and reused. The display support device is reusable with any number of images and on multiple support surfaces and is sized and shaped based on the size and weight of the display item to be supported.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to sign and graphic image holders and moreparticularly, to a unique device for supporting and integrating a sign,graphic image or other similar device to a background structure.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Most retail establishments brand, promotional and directionalcommunications are achieved through changeable content and theircorrelating display structures. Such communications consist of words,colors or graphical images used to alert consumers to various products,services, specials and the like. Such communications are also used toreinforce a brand message as well as for directional purposes.

In the past, these communications have been more in a two dimensionalpresentation and there has been an increased need and desire to makethis information three dimensional to maximize impact and highlightportions of the communications. When communications information ispresented within a single 2D layer (i.e. a printed poster), and parts ofthe information need to be updated, the entire layer would needreplacing. Furthermore single layered communications lack a degree ofimpact and presence within a retail environment. With existing solutionscreation of a more dimensional message was either more costly to ship orrequired installation by a relatively skilled person who would have tobe sent to the retail establishment location which is very costly.

In addition, a business will often want to maintain a particularadvertising campaign but may want to change the promotional item in someform or another. For example, a bank may offer free checking and a purseone month and then change to a free coffee cup the next month. In thatcase, the “campaign” remains the same but only the give away orpromotional item will need to be changed. Ordinarily such a change wouldlikely result in an entirely new sign whereas only a small portion ofthe display needs to change.

In the past, the use of adhesive type solutions to achieve threedimensional or “layered” communications has left the adhesive portion ofthe system behind and detracts from a finished retail environment. Alsocurrent use of magnetic devices has not allowed that portion of thesystem to be reusable. In addition systems with such magnetic devicesare also susceptible to damaging existing display systems and supplylittle friction to counter act the downward pull of gravity. Other typesolutions are limited in their ability to integrate within thecommunication and hide the support system.

Accordingly, the need for a system that creates a multidimensionalplatform for communications that allows the reuse of part of thecampaign materials, reuses the attachment devices, protects existingdisplay structures, hides the support structure, increases weightcapacity, is easy to change out and increases impact and dimensionalityis something this device addresses.

SUMMARY

The present invention features a display support device, for supportingan image, sign or other image or graphic item to be displayed withrespect to a magnetically attractable region of an receiving substrate.The display support device includes a housing having first and upper andlower assembly and an internal region. The lower assembly includes adisplay item interface, configured for releasably coupling with thedisplay item to be supported. The upper assembly includes a regionhaving a generally rubber-like coating which serves to protect thecontact surface of the receiving substrate and supply friction betweenthe contact surface and the display support device. At least one magnetis disposed in the internal region of the housing. The at least onemagnet is configured for interacting with a magnetically attractableregion of a receiving substrate, to support the housing and thereleasably coupled display item coupled thereto.

In the preferred embodiment, the display support device has a generallytriangular shape and the housing has a generally circular central regionwith three outwardly extending arms, each of the three outwardlyextending arms having a predetermined radius from the generally circularcentral region. This shape, however, is not a limitation of the presentinvention as other shapes including round, square and octagon forexample, are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.The display interface includes a display interface region located oneach of the three outwardly extending arms. In one embodiment, thedisplay interface includes one of a hook and loop fastener while thepresent invention also contemplates display interface elements includingmagnets, adhesive and adhesive tape. In the preferred embodiment, thepredetermined radius of the three outwardly extending arms is selectedbased upon one or more criteria consisting of the size and weight of thedisplay item to be supported. The display item to be supported couldinclude, but is not limited to, promotional, brand or directionalcommunications.

In the preferred embodiment, the internal region of the housing includesthree magnets in which case the internal region of the housing mayinclude a housing region portion separating each of the three magnets.Further in the preferred embodiment, the upper assembly including aregion having a generally rubber-like coating is formed on one surfaceof the generally circular central region of the housing. Themagnetically attractable region of a receiving substrate may includeeither or both of a stationary and non-stationary magneticallyattractable region.

It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to belimited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of anystated objects or features of the invention. It is also important tonote that the present invention is not limited to the preferred,exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications andsubstitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to bewithin the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limitedexcept by any allowed claims and their legal equivalents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood by reading the following detailed description, takentogether with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary display support device inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side schematic view of a display support device in usesupporting an image against a receiving substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention features a display support device 10, FIG. 1which, for exemplary purposes only, includes a multi-part housingincluding an upper assembly 20 and a lower assembly 30. The exemplaryupper assembly 20 includes an upper assembly substrate 23 having agenerally circular portion 23 a on or over which is provided an overmold22 having the first surface 21. The exemplary upper assembly 20 alsoincludes a generally triangular shaped base 23 which forms threeoutwardly extending arms 23 b. The size, shape and extent of the displaysupport device 10 is dictated by the size (or “extent”) and weight ofthe display item to be supported as is well known to those skilled inthe art. Each of the outwardly extending arms 23 b have a radius from acentral point in the unit that have corresponding arms 33 c in the lowerassembly 30. By simply adjusting the radius of the arms and/orincreasing the number of arms, the display support device 10 willsupport a larger and/or heavier image. One of ordinary skill in the artwill understand that the size, shape and configuration of the displaysupport device 10 provided herein is for exemplary purposes only and nota limitation of the present invention. A typical size of the displaysupport device is approximately ¾ inch thick, has a triangular baselength of approximately 2.75″ and a top surface diameter ofapproximately 1¾″.

The upper assembly 20 and lower assembly 30 of the display supportdevice 10 are typically formed of a molded plastic or other similar typematerials in one or more pieces. The upper assembly 20 and lowerassembly 30 form a cavity 33 a, FIG. 1, which houses magnets 31 as willbe explained in greater detail below. The lower assembly 30 includes oneor more image interface elements 34 which serve to releasably couple thedisplay support device 10 to an image or other display item 40, FIG. 2,to be supported. The image interface elements 34 are preferably hook andloop type fasteners with either the hook or loop element disposed on thelower assembly 30 of the display support device 10 while thecorresponding hook or loop element is coupled to the back of the image40 to be supported. The present invention contemplates that the imageinterface elements may also include magnets, adhesive or adhesive tapeor generally any other type of element now known or provided in thefuture which allows the display support device 10 to be securely yetreleasably attached to an image 40 to be supported.

The display contact surface 21 of the display support device 10 is alsotypically a plastic overmold over which has been provided, over at leasta portion of the surface 21, a generally rubber-like material such aTPE. The generally rubber-like material preferably has a softnessmeasured in the range of 50A to 60A durometer reading. The purpose ofthe generally rubber-like material is to protect any acrylic or othersurface 41 a, FIG. 2, of the receiving substrate 41 to which the displaysupport device 10 is attached, and to also provide additional frictionbetween the display support device 10 and the receiving substrate 41which helps minimize the tendency of the display support device 10 andattached image 40 to “slide” down the vertical face 41 a of thereceiving substrate 41, despite being held generally in place by theinternal magnets.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary display support device 10 in an explodedview. As shown, the upper assembly 20 and lower assembly 30 togetherform the cavity 33 a which houses the magnets 31 and, in the exemplaryembodiment, a metal plate 32 to which the magnets are attached andattracted to aid in installing the magnets and keeping the magnets inplace within the device 10. In addition, the lower assembly 30 mayinclude a number of portions or partitions 33 b which are shaped, sizedand placed to receive the magnets 31. The base partitions 33 b helpguide the magnets into position onto the plate 32. It has been foundthat using very strong magnets is difficult to assemble and therefore,the plate 32 and the partitions 33 b between the magnets help theassembly process. Those of ordinary skill in the art will note that thiscan be changed without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates how an display support device 10 constructed inaccordance with the present invention can be utilized. As illustrated,an image or other item to be displayed 40 such as a graphic image usedfor advertising, signs or the like is desired to be supported on areceiving substrate 41. One type of receiving substrate 41 includes anacrylic top surface 41 a attached to a metal or other magneticallyattractable base 41 b. In the present example, the magnets 31 located inthe interior region 33 a of the lower assembly 30 hold the displaysupport device 10 to the image support 41 due to the attraction betweenthe magnets 31 and the magnetically attractable base, such as a metalpanel, 41 b, as illustrated by arrows 42. In an alternative receivingsubstrate 41, only a top surface non-magnetic support 41 a may beprovided while the magnetically attractable base 41 b may include amovable and portable small square, circular or other similarly shapedpiece of metal which is simply placed behind the top surface support 41a and to which the magnets 31 are attracted, to hold the display supportdevice 10 in place were desired against the top surface 41 a ofreceiving substrate 41. In addition, the receiving substrate 41 may ornot include an acrylic or other similar top surface 41 a. Further, thetop surface 41 a may include a paper, cardboard or other similar type oflayer between the top surface support 41 a and the metal or magneticattractable layer 41 b.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel and useful displaysupport device which releasably attaches to an image to be supported bymeans of hook/loop fastener or the like and which, using magnets,removably attaches the image to a support structure allowing an imagebeing supported to be placed, moved, reused and that can also providesto the ability to coordinate with other campaign material for a morelayered/dimensional display.

In addition, the display support device of the present invention isreusable with any number of display items and on multiple supportsurfaces. Additional modifications may be provided which arecontemplated within the scope of the present invention. For example, theoutwardly extending arms may include a surface having a rubber-likematerial. In addition, the magnets may be located in the outwardlyextending arms themselves rather than in the central region as depicted,all without departing from the scope and spirit of the presentinvention.

Additional modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill inthe art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention,which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legalequivalents.

1. A display support device, for supporting a display item with respectto a magnetically attractable region of a receiving substrate, saiddevice comprising: a housing having top and bottom surfaces and aninternal region; said bottom surface including an image interface,configured for releasably coupling the with the display item to besupported; said top surface including a region having a generallyrubber-like coating; and at least one magnet, disposed in said internalregion of said housing, said at least one magnet configured forinteracting with a magnetically attractable region of a receivingsubstrate, to support said housing and said releasably coupled displayitem coupled thereto.
 2. The display support device of claim 1, whereinsaid housing has a generally triangular shape.
 3. The display supportdevice of claim 1, wherein said housing has a generally circular centralregion with three outwardly extending arms, each of said three outwardlyextending arms having a predetermined radius from said generallycircular central region.
 4. The display support device of claim 3,wherein said image interface includes a display interface region locatedon each of said three outwardly extending arms.
 5. The display supportdevice of claim 4, wherein said display interface includes one of a hookand loop fastener
 6. The display support device of claim 3, wherein saidpredetermined radius is selected based upon one or more criteriaconsisting of the size and weight of said image to be supported.
 7. Thedisplay support device of claim 1, wherein said display item to besupported includes a graphic advertising image.
 8. The display supportdevice of claim 1, wherein said internal region of said housing includesthree magnets.
 9. The display support device of claim 8, wherein saidinternal region of said housing includes at least one housing regionpartition separating each of said three magnets.
 10. The display supportdevice of claim 1, wherein said display interface is selected from thegroup consisting of one of a hook and loop fastener, a magnet, adhesiveand adhesive tape.
 11. The display support device of claim 3, whereinsaid top surface including a region having a generally rubber-likecoating is formed on one surface of said generally circular centralregion of said housing.
 12. The display support device of claim 1,wherein said magnetically attractable region of an receiving substrateincludes a stationary magnetically attractable region.
 13. The displaysupport device of claim 1, wherein said magnetically attractable regionincludes a non-stationary magnetically attractable region. A displaysupport device, for supporting a display item with respect to amagnetically attractable region of an receiving substrate, said devicecomprising: a housing having top and bottom surfaces and an internalregion, said housing having a generally circular central region withthree outwardly extending arms, each of said three outwardly extendingarms having a predetermined radius from said generally circular centralregion; said bottom surface of said outwardly extending arms including adisplay interface, configured for releasably coupling with the displayitem to be supported, said display interface including one of a hook andloop fastener; said top surface of said generally circular centralregion of said housing including a region having a generally rubber-likecoating; and at least one magnet, disposed in said internal region ofsaid housing, said at least one magnet configured for interacting with amagnetically attractable region of a receiving substrate, to supportsaid housing and said releasably coupled display item coupled thereto.14. A display support device, for supporting a display item with respectto a magnetically attractable region of an receiving substrate, saiddevice comprising: a housing having top and bottom surfaces and aninternal region, said housing having a generally circular central regionwith three outwardly extending arms, each of said three outwardlyextending arms having a predetermined radius from said generallycircular central region; said bottom surface of said outwardly extendingarms including an image interface, configured for releasably couplingwith the display item to be supported, said display interface includingone of a hook and loop fastener; said top surface of said generallycircular central region of said housing including a region having agenerally rubber-like coating; and at least two magnets, disposed insaid internal region of said housing, said at least two magnetsconfigured for interacting with a magnetically attractable region of areceiving substrate, to support said housing and said releasably coupleddisplay item coupled thereto, wherein said internal region of saidhousing includes a housing region partition separating each of said atleast two magnets.